Chusetts



W. U. MOWLL AND A. T. PALMER.

SHEET Music TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8. l9l5.

1 ,305,829. Patented June 3, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ff E? W ALF/950 TPALMEH A TTV W'. U'. MOWLI AND A. T. PALMER.

SHEET MUSIC YURNEK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. B. |916.

1 ,305,829. Patented June 3, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/NVENTQHS l/l/ALLEH U. M01/V41. ALFRED TPALMEH A TT'K UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

WALLEE U. MOWLL, or KINGSTON, Am) ALFRED T. PALMER, or MEDEOED, MASSA-CHUSETTS; SAID PALMER ASsIGNoIt To SAID MowLL.

SHEET-MUSIC TURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 1919.

Application ined November s, 191s. serial No. 130,167.

To all 'whom t may concern;

Be it known that we, WAIIER U. MoWLL and ALFRED T. PALMER, citizens ofthe United States, and residents, respectively, of Kingston, in thecounty of Plymouth, and Medford, in the county of Middlesex, both in theCommonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Sheet-Music Turners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for turning the leaves ofsheet-music on a pianoforte and its need is so apparent to those skilledin the musical art that no extended introduction is required.

The several objects attained in this invention are First,-A turningagency that will handle any sheet eiiciently, whether new and crisp orold and limp.

Second,-A substantial rest for the music which may be removed from thepiano at will.

Third- Means whereby the shifting lever for each sheet covers that forthe succeeding sheet Vand thus prevents improper manipulation.

Fourth,-Means whereby the said shifting lever may be swung aside touncover that for the succeeding Sheet.

Fifth,-Auxiliary means for turning a loose central sheet.

SiXth,-Simplicity and cheapness of construction without impairment ofeiii'ciency.

These, with minor features to be later explained, are illustrated, asone embodiment of our invention, by the accompanying drawings which formpart of this Specification and in which,

Figure'l is a view of our invention in place on a music-rack.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial, enlarged view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of Fig'. 3.

F-ig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 isa section on line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a section (partial) on line 8 8 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 shows a modification.

Fig. 10 is a section on line 1010 of Fig. 9.

VOur device is illustrated as having three turning arms although it isunderstood that we-do not limit ourselves to this number,

which may be made greater or less, as desired.

These three arms will accommodate a piece of sheet-music comprising twofolios and a loose central Sheet such as is illusvtrated in Fig. 1 whereA and B represent the outer folio which is not to be turned, C and Dthe'inner folio and E the loose central sheet, the last three of whichmay be turned by arms F, H and G, respectively.

In Fig. l, all the arms are shown in position for turning although C,the first Sheet to be turned, has been swung to turned position withoutits arm F, for purposes of greater clearness in the description whichfollows.

Qur device consists, primarily, of a frame 1 provided with a series ofears or lugs, one of which, 2, is adapted to engage a socket formed in abracket 3, the latter being secured, as by screws 4, to the ordinarymusicrest 5. Ear 2 is designed to snugly engage bracket 3 to hold frame1 firmly but removably in place; while an extension 6, on bracket 3,acts as a guide for ear 2 and also prevents marring of lthe `woodwork ofthe rest 5 while ear 2 is being inserted.

Two other ears 7 and 8 are bored to receive a rod or pivot 9 which isprolonged upwardly to act, in conjunction with blade 10, as a. grip tohold the center fold of the folios in place.k The` lower end of rod 9 isthreaded to receive three nuts l1, 12 and 13, the first above and thetwo last below ear 8, thus firmly securing rod 9 to frame l. Other ears14, 14 are bent to form auxiliary rests for the music sheets and ears15, 15 project upwardly to help form a back support for said sheets. f

The arms F, Gr and H are similarly shaped buty different in length,although this difference is not essential. A description of arm G willsuiiice for all three, as they are all pivotally connected to rod 9.

Arm G is preferably formed of a metal rod which extends upwardly behindthe sheet it is to turn and has convolutions near the foot of the sheetfor the double purpose of providing a rest 16 and a yielding grip 17.(Fig. 8.) Although this grip 17 Shown in the preferred form of ourinvern tion and is a desirable feature, it might be modified in theconstruction shown in Figs. 9 and 10 so as to form simply a cradle forthe music-sheet, as will be later explained.

The horizontal l,extension '18 of .arm is firmly united at 19 and 20 toa pressed metal swing-arm 21 which is formed with two ears- 22 and 23that pivotally engage rod 9.' -Between ears 22 and andY surrounding rod9 is a coiled spring 24, one end of which is secured to swing-arm 21 at25, the other end being1 securedto frame l'at 26. (Fig. 4.)

Spring 24: is under sufficient tension to carry arm G,with its sheetE,when released, from theposition illustrated to thrown position wherethe edge 27, of swing-arm 21 willv casing 30 formed with a series ofhorizontal` slots- 31 which are open at the right, each with a notchedportion 32 6) and 'closed atV the left to form the stop l28.

' vThe free end of swing-arm`21 is adapted `to proj eet' through slot`31and rest andinove along the'V lower edge thereof. Secured to lswing-arm21, as byv rivets 33, is a leafspring 3-1 which, at its free end, isprovided Vwith a finger-hold or key 35 and, intermediately, witha notch36 adapted'toengage the notched portion 32 of slot 31 iso.-

that, in swung position, the edge 27 is sure' to take'k the impact ofthe blow againststopl 28 and thus prevent undue wear y,on 'rivets' 33 aswould ensue ifthe-spring ',341 should directly engage the stop 2,8. 4 Yp It will be noticed, in Fig. 7, that the linger- "holds-B- are insuperimposedposition, the upper projecting more than theother twoand thelower being the shortest. To understand .the reason lfor this itisxnecessary to discuss the form of blow requiredto release the arms. ii 'f W'hen a performer Vhas his mind centered on the notes of the'mus'iche is playing, it is desirable .to presentA asv Vlitle distraction aspossible in the turning movement. For this purpose,we have superimposedthe keys 35 Y so that the performers finger may go to the same spot foreach turn; and no particular feat ofl selection is required as he canreach but the key desired. The motion is a quick downward blow whichcarries leaf-spring 34 away from its notch 32,- the finger slippingforward and downward outof the path of swing-arm 21. Before theleaf-spring 34 can recover from the blow, coiled spring 24 has carriedit forward and away from notch 32, after which, for the balance of thethrow, leaf-spring 34 travels in Vcontact with the upper edge of slot 31and, itself, meets no other stop, the swing being checked when edge 27contacts with stop 28, as previously explained.V VTo re-set the arm, itis manually swung to the right until leaf-spring34lf automaticallyrengages notch 32, there being a slight play, in that position, betweenswingarm 21 and the frame 1, as seen in Fig'. l.

To prevent thev nger from accidentallyV of but one arm at a time andthatthe one Y desired; for, to vengage arm G before arm F, the motion of thenger must be distinctly forward rather than downward and this forwardthrust would be poorly calculated to clear the path of the released armbefore Y its leaf-spring could rengageitsnotch 32.

f In Fig. 2, itrwill be noticed that blade 10' is formed or shaped toVlightlycontact the Vupper extension or free end of rod 9,1,to present africtional grip at the center V.of .the folio -tobe turned.V This;grip', with that formed at 17, serves to keep the folio prop-f erlyalined so that thefturn isneatlygmadek around rod 9 asa pivot.

Y These grips are suiiciently light to avoid any tendency toward tearingthe paper, but,

in. turning a loose central sheet E, the grip ofrod 9 is absent and wefind it desirable to provide a special,- auXiliary grip tov coperatewith Agrip 17. One such gri-p is seen inv Fig. 1 and comprises a stiffspring-wire arm 37 having at its outer end a Vwound socket 38 adapted toloosely'envelopthe tip of'armrG and at its inner end a similarl socketfor the tip of rodr9, the latter being supplemented f Y with an eXtraturn of. the wire to form the snap 39 to grip the'- sheet. As'rod 9-issta- 5 Vtionary, snap 39 is madeto follow4 the sheet E as it turns bythe Vwire connection 37 to armr G. disposed Vacross sheet E, thelatteris held in position while turning. In Figl, sheetE isf.

shown so held and ready to turn, liberty having been taken, as beforeexplained, toA

set arm F without its sheet C.

If the music has no central sheet,- the wirearm 37 may be deposited atthe base of frame 1,- within the two hooks 40, the nut 13 beingsufficiently in therway to cause a slight twist in arm 37 to insert andremove. This locking feature is well illustrated in Fig. 7.

As seen in the drawings, frame 1, with its various ears, is preferablyformed from a single piece of sheet metal and the casing 30, with itsopen-ended slots 31, is adapted to fit into place after theV arms havebeen assembled upon rod 9, the lugs 29 passing through openings in.frame 1 .and clenched behind the same. We alsov prefer to provide acover for casing 30 in the form of a semicircular cap l1 perforated forthe passage of rod 9 and securedto frame l by `lugs l2.

.To obviate the necessity of soldering this lith these two grips, -Vdiagonally cap in position and thus prevent rapid disassembling, we forma lug 43 on'the down-` turned edge 44 of cap 41, said lug having a lipor catch 45 at its eXtremity that will readily engage the lower edge ofan inturned lug 46 formed integral with casing 30. This is best seen inFig. 5.

A series of washers 47 are preferably interposed between the ears 22 and23 of the adjoining arms 21, asseen in Fig. 5.

In Figs. 9 and 10 is shown a modied form which dispenses with casing 30and leafspring 34 and substitutes therefor a series of notched lugs 50bent outward from the rame and a modification in the shape of swing-arm21 wherein the upper leaf of said arm forms the catch and key and, torelease, the entire arm must be depressed by warping slightly onpivot-rod 9, the same coiled spring 24 serving as the turning agency andthe stop 28 being replaced by an ear 51 on the frame. In this form thegrip 17 must be suliiciently weak to avoid any permanent derangement ofthe music sheet about its pivot rod 9 when the arm is warped to releasethe catch.

It will be noticed that arms F, Gr and H extend upwardly above thecenter of the sheets. While this is not essential, it is preferablewhere old music has become limp and would, otherwise, tend to buckle andfold while turning.

We do not limit ourselves to the precise Iorm of constructionillustrated.

What we claim is:

l. A sheet music turner comprising a frame; an arm pivotally mounted inconnection with said frame; a casing inclosing said pivotal mounting andprovided with a slot for the projection of the ree end of said arm; anotch near one end of said slot; a key on said arm and movable inrelation thereto; an attachment for securing said key to said arm, saidattachment being adapted to occupy said notch; and means for swingingsaid arm when said key is manipulated to free said attachment from saidnotch.

z. In a sheet music turner, a plurality of pivotally mounted arms; meansfor separately swinging each arm; a key attached to each arm, each keybeing superimposed with relation to its successor; and a hooded portionconnected with each key and positioned to protect its successor againstuntimely manipulation; in combination with a detent for each arm that isadapted for release through the manipulation of its key.

3. A plurality of swinging arms; a detent for each arm; independentmeans for swinging each arm; a key mounted on each arm and in movablerelation thereto; means for causing each key, upon receipt of a downwardblow from the linger of the operator, to release its arm from itsdetent; and protective mea-ns, mounted in connection with each arm andpositioned to guard its successor against untimely release by said blow.

4. A swinging arm adapted to turn a sheet of music; means for swingingSaid arm; a detent for said arm; a key mounted on said arm andpositioned to receive a downward blow of the operators finger, when saidarm is held by said detent; and means for causing the release of saidarm from said detent, through the agency of said blow.

In testimony whereof, we have aiiixed our signatures in the presence oftwo witnesses.

WALLER U. MOWLL. ALFRED T. PALMER. Vitnesses:

CONRAD B. SHEVLIN, GEORGE LIBBY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

